Navigating political talk in the workplace
Amid growing polarization, some companies are moving to restrict political discussions during work hours, while others choose to allow them freely.
Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza
The BBC article discusses how global companies handle political talk at work amid increasing polarization. Some companies, like Google and NPR, have faced employee protests and disciplinary actions due to political tensions.
Many firms, such as Intuit, implement guidelines to moderate political discussions, focusing on personal feelings rather than political views. Others, like 37Signals and GrowthScribe, have banned political discussions altogether to avoid workplace conflicts, despite facing backlash. Conversely, companies like Quorum allow political discussions, given their relevance to their work, but set rules to ensure respectful communication.
Research indicates that political alignment between employers and employees can influence hiring decisions, sometimes even more than race or gender.